Bruschetta Sourdough Focaccia with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese

slices of bruschetta sourdough focaccia topped with a feta cheese and basil

5 from 1 vote

Bruschetta Sourdough Focaccia with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese

This sourdough focaccia takes my favorite bruschetta dip to the next level, blending the rich flavors of tomatoes, basil, and garlic with the tangy goodness of creamy feta cheese.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Rise Time6 30

Total Time7 30

Course: Appetizer, Bread

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

Focaccia Dough

410 grams diced tomatoes in tomato juice 1 ¾ cup
5 grams balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon
5 grams fresh basil ¼ cup
5 grams garlic minced, 1 Tablespoon
60 grams water warm, ¼ cup
150 grams active sourdough starter ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons
10 grams salt 1 ½ teaspoon
500 grams bread flour 3 ⅔ cups
60 grams olive oil divided, ¼ cup

Cheese Filling

113 grams feta cheese crumbled, ¾ cup
55 grams cream cheese softened, ¼ cup
60 grams sour cream ¼ cup
7 grams lemon juice freshly squeezed, ½ Tablespoon
7 grams olive oil ½ Tablespoon
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Garnish

drizzle balsamic glaze
5 grams fresh basil chopped, ¼ cup
10 grams parmesan cheese freshly shredded, 2 Tablespoons

Instructions

Start by making a tomato sauce to use in place of the water in the focaccia. In a pan bring the can of diced tomatoes with tomato juice, balsamic vinegar, chopped basil, minced garlic, and water to a soft boil, mixing occasionally. Once it begins to barely boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes to begin cooling.
410 grams diced tomatoes in tomato juice , 5 grams balsamic vinegar, 5 grams fresh basil, 5 grams garlic, 60 grams water
Once it starts to cool down, transfer the liquid to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. The liquid will be warm but shouldn't be hot to the touch before moving forward.
Put a medium sized bowl or straight edge container onto a kitchen scale and zero it out. Pour the liquid into the bowl. If it is under 400 grams add enough water to get it to 400 grams.
Add the bubbly sourdough starter and salt to the liquid. Mix it up with a danish dough whisk or spoon to break up the starter. Add the bread flour and mix it until you completely incorporate the flour.
150 grams active sourdough starter, 10 grams salt, 500 grams bread flour
Cover and place in a warm spot (ideally about 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and leave for 30 minutes.
Perform 2-3 sets of stretch and folds to develop the dough with a 30 minute rest in between each set. To stretch and fold the dough, grab one side with a damp hand and gently shimmy the dough up, and then fold it on itself. Repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl 90 degrees each time.
Continue to let the dough rise until it has risen 50% and is jiggly with bubbles forming around the sides of the bowl. With dough at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the first rise (including stretch and folds) will take about 5 hours total.
Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray and then coat with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Dump dough into the pan. Flip once to coat both sides with oil. Cover and let sit in a warm spot until it is visibly puffy and increased in size. With the dough staying at 75 degrees Fahrenheit this will take another 1-2 hours.
Once the dough is puffy and ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on top of the dough. Dimple the dough with your fingers and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
While it bakes, add the feta cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. If you don't have either of those appliances you can use a hand mixer.
113 grams feta cheese, 55 grams cream cheese , 60 grams sour cream , 7 grams lemon juice, 7 grams olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Set a piping bag with a large round tip inside a jar or cup, folding the edges over the rim. Fill the bag with the cheese mixture, then cut off the tip to begin piping.
Force the tip of the bag into the focaccia to poke holes throughout and then pipe in some of the cream mixture. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
10 grams parmesan cheese
Turn the oven to broil and put the focaccia back in for about 2 minutes until the cheese has warmed through.
Remove from the heat and let cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle fresh basil on top. Slice and enjoy!
drizzle balsamic glaze, 5 grams fresh basil

Notes

Make sure to let the dough get puffy and rise fully. Baking it too early will result in a denser focaccia.

To speed up the process, find a warmer spot for the dough to rise. Using warm ingredients in the dough will help with this as well.

If you want to bake the next day, place the dough in the fridge after the first rise. Remove the dough from the fridge in the morning. Place in a oiled 9×13″ pan and let rise until puffy and doubled in size.

Add the dough to a straight edge container so you can easily see when the dough has risen 50%.

Nutrition